What surfboard should I start with?

I want to start surfing what kind of surfboard should i get?

• I would surf little waves like 4-6 foot tall waves near the Venice beach pier nothing major. Ive seen shortboards, longboards, funboards, egss and many more, i want to be able to ...show more

• Answer:

  All boards can maneuver, so it depends on what kind of maneuvers you want to be able to pull off? Longboards/funboards favor long slow turns or drop knee type turns, noserides, board walking, maybe a small floater. Shortboards (thrusters) take a lot more practice to start surfing on and favor sharp turns, floaters, sharp cutbacks, pumping, airs if you can, and more aggressive surfing, quad shortboards are much the same but a bit faster down the line and looser off the top and give a more skatey feel. Fishes are fast and skatey with a turning radius slower than a shortboard but faster than longboards. Popular these days are performance fishes, pods, basically melding the ability to catch waves with the size and maneuverability of shortboards. Still, nothing is good for a steep takeoff like a shortboard. But before you decide on any board you need lessons. Even with lessons if you decide on anything other than a longboard/shortboard you will probably go through a very frustrating period of not being able to catch any waves at all. And especially surfing a crowded place like Cali you're going to be getting into everyones way inevitably.